150W HPS + Cfl Veg. Questions..

Im just now nearing the harvest of a closet CFL grow that was my first. Im not very happy with the results but the whole thing was a learning experience and i am Thinking about getting a 150W HPS, and building myself a more proper grow box. I have tried to search the web for the info that i am looking for but there is an over whelming amount of opinions and varying factors. So my questions are,
-Would one 150w HPS, be enough for one or possibly two plants depending on the size of the box?
-Are there different kinds of HPS bulbs like with the CFLs having daylight, and cool light bulbs?
-What size ratios would best work with the amount of lumens?


Thanks, any input is appreciated.

I used a 150 a few years ago. you can grow some good bud with it. 2 or 3 small plants no problem. If you can add some cfls thad be good too. Just so you know, after I got a 150 I got another one shortly after, then I got a 400 then I got another 400. lol I use the 150's as side light now. My point is, if you think your gonna stay in the game get the best you can afford first so you don't keep upgrading. Good luck

JDMJGM said:

Im just now nearing the harvest of a closet CFL grow that was my first. Im not very happy with the results but the whole thing was a learning experience and i am Thinking about getting a 150W HPS, and building myself a more proper grow box. I have tried to search the web for the info that i am looking for but there is an over whelming amount of opinions and varying factors. So my questions are,
-Would one 150w HPS, be enough for one or possibly two plants depending on the size of the box?
-Are there different kinds of HPS bulbs like with the CFLs having daylight, and cool light bulbs?
-What size ratios would best work with the amount of lumens?


Thanks, any input is appreciated.

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ok your looking for a 150w "HID" (Hig Intensity Discharge") light not just a HPS, HPS stands for Hig Pressure Sodium, it is in fact a "different" kind of light, it would compare to your 2700k CFL's


with a HID lighting system and a electronic ballast you can run either MH (Metal Halide, comaprable to your "daylight" or 5600K CFL) or the HPS (they are just different bulbs) so the answer is yes


you can get a electronic ballast and run either a MH or HPS light. MH is for vegatative growth and HPS is for flowering although i have read that dual spectrum is best for both stages.


i have even run a MH bulb for flower and had great results, so hype is hype......what are you running for CFL? i have also had great results from running CFL's dual spectrum for an entire grow, you may just not be providing enough lighting for the # of plants or plant size, remember 3 1 ft plants will be better than 1 3 ft plant when top lighting is inadequate.


when growing with CFL's you really want to look into training and maybe doing a ScROG screen this way you can focus your light on a nice even canopy.

Thank you both for your reply's. So would it be reasonable to use the dual spectrum Cfls that I've got to veg 2 plants then use the 150w HPS-HID for the flowering stage?, I think im going to use a grow box im building and either LST or scrog, if i can manage.

JDMJGM said:

Thank you both for your reply's. So would it be reasonable to use the dual spectrum Cfls that I've got to veg 2 plants then use the 150w HPS-HID for the flowering stage?, I think im going to use a grow box im building and either LST or scrog, if i have manage.

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Yes to all. You can use the hps for veg too if you don't have enough cfl's.

Last question, would the 150w work well in a box that is 5' x 2' x 2' ? Thank you once again.

JDMJGM said:

Last question, would the 150w work well in a box that is 5' x 2' x 2' ? Thank you once again.

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150w would work best in 1x1 - 1.5x1.5 but could work in you space but the length is too long and height is kinda short,are you planning to lst?

LST or Scrog, still trying to research a little, any suggestions ?

Im assuming you meant 5' high and 2x2 square, or at least I hope, because the other dimension would be terrible. And yeah it would work fine in a 4 sq ft area. I would use the HPS with the CFL for veg and flower both to get the most light.

Yea haha 5' high 2x2' square. Do you think LST or scrog would be more effective method in that space?

JDMJGM said:

Last question, would the 150w work well in a box that is 5' x 2' x 2' ? Thank you once again.

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get a 250 watt

I have a friend that runs a 250 in a smaller closet than that (5' x 2' x 20"). You need a cooled reflector and the plants will be able to come within inches of the light.

He pulled 7 ounces from one bubblegum plant. You don't want them too tall and LST and some light defoliation is your friend.

Brokeoldbloke said:

I wouldn't recommend using the 150 hps and think you should just stick with CFls or buy a 250/400 watt. I have a couple of sun systems 150w HPS lights I got off of craiglist and never really used them for much. I’ve modded one to make a remote ballasted vertical tube that I use once in a while and the other sits in its box. The lights create a lot of heat, provides poor coverage and are terribly inefficient. These lights don’t use a capacitor to save on cost. This means they use about twice the electricity compared larger HPS fixtures per watt. According to the data plate the light uses 3.2a @ 120v (384 watts) to provide 150 watts of light. So I'm guesing a lot of the extra wattage is just generating heat. In comparison a 400w HPS will probably use 430-460w to provide 400 watts of light.
These are the 150w lights I have: http://www.amazon.com/Sun-System-Watt-Reflector-Ballast/dp/B00269RWQI

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I wouldn't recommend speaking completely out your ass either but it didn't stop this guy. I ran a sun system 150 in a closed box using a $13 50cfm bathroom fan for exhaust. I averaged .68 gpw on my harvests growing 12/12 from seed. My light and fan combined pulled 190 on a kill-a-watt and cost me about $8-9 a month to run. It is completely doable and I see nothing wrong with it. If you search my username you can find some of my previous 150 watt grows.

JDMJGM said:

Yea haha 5' high 2x2' square. Do you think LST or scrog would be more effective method in that space?

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with a 150W you will get only 37.5 W/sf it's not enough, go with Trousers's suggestion get a 250W you will have 62.5 W/sf witch is perfect. HPS produce more heat, you will probably need to upgrade your ventilation & air exhaust at the same time

supchaka said:

I wouldn't recommend speaking completely out your ass either but it didn't stop this guy. I ran a sun system 150 in a closed box using a $13 50cfm bathroom fan for exhaust. I averaged .68 gpw on my harvests growing 12/12 from seed. My light and fan combined pulled 190 on a kill-a-watt and cost me about $8-9 a month to run. It is completely doable and I see nothing wrong with it. If you search my username you can find some of my previous 150 watt grows.

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Whatever, I’m glad you’re a fan of 150s and gave the OP you’re opinion. I gave mine based on my experience with the lights. The 150 is crap IMO. I used one for a couple of weeks in a 36x20x60” tent thinking it would be better than the CFLs 1(125w and 2(65w) that I had been using. The coverage was worse and the tent was 4-5degs hotter. I haven’t check the light with a wattmeter but it’s marked by manufacturer 3.2amps @ 120v and it doesn’t have a capacitor like a normal HPS. The OP should get a 250w or a dimmable 400 IMO and you should worry about your own.

OP,
Good luck with your grow.